Condensing apparatus



Dec. 20, 1932. RAlNEY 1,891,607

CONDENS ING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 13. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mg a ATTORNEYINVENT R Y .c; A. RAINEY CONDENSING APPARATUS Dec. 20, 1932.

Filed Aug. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 4 BY," my ,d

ATTORNEY v Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 01.1mm! aRainer, or RIVERSIDE, rumors connnnsme arrmarns Application iiled August13, 19. Serial No. 385,539.

I condenser while permitting proper relative movements of partsnecessary oradvisablei on account ofdifl'erences and variations intemperature. Other objects of the; invention will appear as thedescription proceeds. I

The invention consists essentially of inde pendent supporting means fordifferent parts of a condenser, the steam receiving part be ingsupported by the consumer supplying the vapor or steam to be condensedand thewater conveying section being independently sup ported, the partsbeing connected by flexible fluid tight joints and with tube supportingmeans permitting relative movement of parts. I I

The nature andadvantages of the inven tion will become apparentfr'omthefollow ingdescripti'on taken in conjunction with'the accompanyingdrawings showing a preferred manner of carrying out-theinvention, whichdrawings constitute a part of thisispecification and, of which: I I

Fig. 1 is a view partly in section of a power plant showing a primemover and a eondenser combined, constructed and supported in accordancewith the invention; I I t Fig. 2 is a View, partly in section, taken onthe line 22 of Fig. 1 v I Fig. 3 is taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is taken on theline 4-4of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, reference character 10 designates a floor, deck or landing ofa power plant of any type, whether I stationary, marine or otherwise.'Below floor 10 is another floor, deck or'landing 11. Floor 10' has anopen ing 12; Supported on floor 10' over opening 12 is a prime mover 13,in the instant case shown as a turbine. Turbine 13 has an, ex haustconnection 14 extending downwardly from the base plate 15 and having alower flange 16. Whilea turbine is illustrated, any

type of steam consumer which exhausts steam for condensation may takethe place of the turbine 13 in the matter of the present invention. 7The condenser is designated generally by the letter C. c The condensercomprises a shell 17. Shell 17 is in general of cylindrical form havingend flanges 18'. It has anupwardlyextending connection 19' with a topflange 20 whichv is secured in fluid tight relationto and rigidly toflange leasb'yrivets, suitable gasketing'being included between theflange joints if necessaryor desired. It; will here be noted that theturbine casing, exhaust I connection 14 forming part ofthe turbinecasing and shell 17 are rigidly connected.

Passing through shell 17 is a plurality of water conveying tubes 21which extend be? tween tube sheets 22 and 23. The tubes ex? tendthroughthe tube sheets, beingexpanded 7 or otherwise fitted into the tubesheets and permit conimunication between chambers 24 and 25'." Chambers2 1 and'25 are formed by the tube sheets 22 and 28,,anriular flangedmembers26 and 27 and covers 28 and 29. The tube sheets 22 and23, members26 and 27 and covers 28' and 29 ak up; what are known aswaterboxes; Thewater boxes have connections 30 and 31 for supplying water to andwithdrawing water from the condenser. The waterflows through the tubes21 and thereby cools and condenses steam passing into. she-1117. While asingle-pass condenser is illustrated, the invention is not limitedthereto, but partitions may be provided in the water boxes to givemultiple-pass flow.

The condensate formed within shell 17 and around tubes 21 is collectedin a well or pocket 32 and is drawn awayby suitable pumping mechanism; vI

Connected between tube sheets 22 and 23 and the end flanges l8 of shell17 are corru gated,'flexible,fiuid tight members 34 and 35. Members 34and 35" may be made of lighter 7 gauge metal to permit relative movementbetween sh ell 17 and the water boxes. They may also be made ofdifferent, relatively elastic, material.

On the floor 11 are support blocks 36 and 37. A cradle 38 is formed as apart of member 26 and rests on rollers 39 which in turn rest on a steelplating 40in turn resting upon support member 36. A cradle 41 is a partof member 27 and rests on support member 37 without intermediate movablemeans.

relative movement between the tubes and the right-hand water box, (asshown) and the floor. This takes care of expansion and contraction ofthe parts in longitudinal direction of the tubes. 7

Attached to tube sheet 23 are one or more brackets 42 Mounted on the oneor more brackets42 areone or more beams 43 of which two are shown. Beams43 extend longitudinally above the tubes within shell 17. The other endsof beams43 rest on rollers 44 which reston brackets -45. Brackets 45 aresecured to tube sheet 22. Suspended from beams 43 are tube supportingplates 46 and 47 which are secured to the beams by means of clips 48.The plates 46 and 47 are apertured so that the tubes pass through themand so that they support the tubes. Plates 46 and 47 do not extend tothe edge of the shell, but are sufficiently spaced therefrom to permitrelative movement of theshell 17 with respect to plates 46 and 47. V rIt will be seen that the water conducting section of the condenser andthe steam receiving section of the condenser are independentlysupported. The steam receiving section consisting of shell 17 issupported from the turbine casing and consequently from floor 10. Thusthe turbine and the shell of the condenser have a common supportwhich isentirely independent of the supporting means on the lower floor for thewater boxes and the tubes. Members 34 and 35 provide fluid tightflexible connections between the independently supported parts.Expansion and contraction of the tubes may take. place independently ofmovement of shell 17 due to the roller support mounting. The rollersupport of beams 43 permits relative movement of parts. It will be seenthat all the parts have proper relative movement without constraint inany way.

The arrangement allows a constant load Rollers 39' are placedtransversely oftubes 21 and permit The present arrangement will readilypermit steel plate shell construction.

While I have described one form of the invention, it will be understoodthat the invention may be carried out in a number of forms of apparatusand that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement shownand described. The turbine or other steam consumer need not be'above thecondenser, bu't'may be on any side of the condenser. Insteadof rollersupports, other means may be employed which permit relative movement ofthe parts.

What I claim is sheets, members, cooperating with said tube sheets toform water boxes, tubes inserted in said tube sheets and passing throughsaid shell, flexible fluid tight joint members be tween said shell andsaid water boxes, means for supporting the tubes intermediate the tubesheets comprising a beam, means for supporting said beam on the waterboxes, means for permitting relative movement between said beam and oneof said water boxes,

and means for supporting said water boxes independently of said shelland permitting relative movement thereof. V 2. A condenser comprising ashell, tube sheets, members cooperating with said tube sheets to formwater boxes, tubes inserted in said tube sheets and passing through saidshell, flexible fluid tight joint members between said shell and saidwater boxes, means for supporting the tubes intermediate the tube sheetscomprising a beam and a plate supported by said beam, said tubes passingthrough said plate, means for supporting said beam on the water boxes,means for permitting relative movement'between said beam and one of saidwater boxes, and means for supporting said water boxes independently ofsaid shell and permitting relative movement thereof. v

v 3. A condenser comprising a shell, tube sheets, members cooperatingwith said tube sheets to form water boxes, tubes inserted in said tubesheets and passing through said shell, flexible fluid tight jointmembers between said shell and said water boxes, means for supportingthe tub es intermediate the tube sheets comprising a beam and a platecarried by said beam through which the tubes pass, means for securingsaid beam to one of said tube sheets, a roller support for supportingsaid beam on another of said tube sheets and permitting relativemovement between the beam and the last mentioned tube sheet, and meansindependent of said shell and comprising rollers for supporting saidwater 1. A condenser comprising a shell, tube said tube sheets andpassing through said shell, flexible fluid tight joint members betweensaid shell and said water boxes, means for supporting the tubesintermediate the tube sheets comprising a plurality of beams and aplurality of plates carried by said beams through which said platespass, means for securing said beams to one of said tube sheets, rollersupporting means for supporting said beams on another of said tubesheets and permitting relative movement between the beams and the lastmentioned tube sheet, and supporting means for said water boxesindependent of said shell and permitting relative movement therebetween.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

CLEMENT A. RAINEY.

